Sparkle
by Gedia Kacela
Summary: A brief look at Satine's life before Christian.


Sparkle  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from the great and wonderful movie that is Moulin Rouge (you know, the one that should have one the Oscar for Best Picture). Any character not from the movie are my own creations.  
  
Author's Note: Wow, I'm on a roll again here. Guess I'm making up for not writing anything in so long. The ideas were getting cramped up in the limited space of my brain. This is a fic briefly looking at Satine's life before Christian. As always, I adore reviews.  
  
***  
  
"Diamonds," Satine belted out as the swing she was seated on rose from floor level. "Diamonds." Below her, tux-clad gentlemen from all over Paris and beyond swayed in time with the music. "Square-cut or pear-shaped." How she loved it up here... far above the dance floor, almost in her own little world. "These rocks won't lose their shape." This was truly her favorite part of the show- her grand exit. Of course, the exit was never permanent. There was always the 'show' afterwards in the Red Room. "Diamonds are a girl's..." That was the part she hated. "Best..." The fake romance... the rich jerk sweating above her... the pretending... her life. "Friend."  
  
One of the backstage crewmen helped her from the swing. "Wonderful performance, Mademoiselle Satine." She only nodded in recognition, making her way to the stairwell to change. She vaguely wondered who it would be tonight. She had danced with several rich prospects during the time she was performing. It was up to Harold to decide which was the richest. He would be the lucky man she would bed.  
  
Same old, same old. Who ever said that sex was a great thing obviously hadn't been a courtesan. It had probably been a man, she thought with a dry laugh. Otherwise, the Moulin Rouge would not do nearly as much business.  
  
She hurried into her changing room. Marie was waiting with her outfit for that night. It was a pink corset with a very short, pale pink see through gown with lace straps and no sleeves. There was a matching pink lace garter for her leg and a fur-lined pink robe. All pink. Even pink heels. "Wilting Flower?" she questioned the woman as Marie laced up her corset.  
  
"That's right, love. An easy one tonight."  
  
"Who is it?" She adjusted the garter on her leg and slid the robe onto her shoulders.  
  
"A banker's son. He seems to be trying to live the wild life and failing... shouldn't be overly difficult."  
  
Satine emerged from behind the partition, girlishly biting a nail. "How do I look? Wilting Flower?" Marie nodded approvingly as Harold appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Chickpea! You look adorable!" She giggled cutely. "Did Marie tell you about our special guest for tonight?"  
  
"Only that he's a banker's son who's not as tough as he appears."  
  
"Right, right. His name is Richard. Be sure to treat him nicely, doll."  
  
"I will, Harold."  
  
"That's my girl!" He kissed her forehead quickly before leaving to return to the dancehall. The party was still going strong, after all. The client would be escorted to the Red Room shortly.  
  
As Satine touched up her makeup, Marie gently brushed the tight red curls into soft tendrils of hair that framed Satine's face. "You're ready now, love."  
  
"Thank you, Marie." The woman smiled sadly as Satine left the room. She knew that the girl's life was like. After all, she had once been a famed courtesan. She knew that the only variety in Satine's life was the change of costumes and personas she took on- Wilting Flower one night, Bright and Bubbly at other times... more often that not she was the Smoldering Temptress. She knew the girl must wish for something more, even if she didn't say so. After all, what girl didn't have her dreams of love? But sadly, after several years at the Moulin Rouge, all hopes and desires for love died. Marie hated to see it, but it was true. It happened to all of them.  
  
***  
  
As Satine waited for Richard the banker's son, she sang quietly to herself. "Meet me in the Red Room, close the door and dim the lights. I will be yours truly if indeed the price is right. So draw your sword, be my king, let your passions rise and sing. Just show me the diamonds and I'll let you wear my ring."  
  
There was a knock at the door before Chocolat opened it to usher in a young, nervous-looking boy. She glided over. He stared at her as if he were seeing a vision. Satine made a mental note to congratulate Marie on her choice of outfits. He loved it, obviously. With a nearly shaking hand, he took her hand and kissed the back of his. "Good evening, Mademoiselle Satine."  
  
"Hello, Richard. So nice of you to come." She draped herself on his shoulder, kissing his cheek. Behind his back, she waved away Chocolat and he quietly closed the door. She sang quietly into her customer's ear. "I won't kiss and tell. You don't have to worry, cause I'm a professional."  
  
***  
  
Another night gone, another satisfied customer, thought Satine as she watched Richard leave the next morning. The poor thing was so flustered by what he had done that he hadn't bothered to say goodbye before gathering his things and leaving. Still, she had seen the look on his face before he closed the door. He had enjoyed himself and might even come back for a repeat visit. He had been a delicate thing though... better not let Nini get her hands on him. She'd scare him away for good.  
  
She put a hand to her mouth to silence a cough. She'd been stuck with the cough for nearly a week now, but it was probably something that was just going around. With a shake of her head, she pushed away the annoying voice in her head that told her that no one else had a cough. She'd caught it from one of the customers, then. It was just a cough.  
  
She couldn't worry about it now, whatever it was. Tonight was the big night, Harold had told her. It would be the night that would change everything for her. Seated in the audience was the man who could make her a star and turn the Moulin Rouge into a fabulous theater. "Perform your best, chickpea," he had told her before leaving to start the show.   
  
"Don't I always?" she had replied with a seductive smile.  
  
With a sigh, she climbed onto the swing, ready to transform herself into the Sparkling Diamond the moment the loud, raucous music ended. She would have the Duke crawling on his hands and knees before the night was done.  
  
With a flourish, the music below her ended and the diamond-studded swing began to lower amidst a shower of glitter.   
  
"The French are glad to die for love..."  
  
END 


End file.
